Burgdorf, Switzerland – June 2nd 2021
Today, eight companies representing the pharmaceutical supply chain for pharmaceutical products announced the founding of the Alliance to Zero, a non-profit membership association for pharma and biotech supply chain companies that aims to facilitate the transition of the pharma sector to compliance with net zero emissions in line with the goal of the Paris Climate Agreement.
The founders share the view that there is an urgent need to collaborate across the pharmaceutical supply chain and while there is much discussion in the pharma community today about sustainability and climate impact, substantial change among supply chain partners and manufacturers is not happening fast enough to reduce the emissions footprint. This is what the Alliance to Zero is committed to changing.
In order to develop solutions that will have broad acceptance and a true positive impact on the pharmaceutical industry, the alliance recognises the need for deep and proactive collaboration across traditional company boundaries. The founding companies of the alliance represent key parts of the pharma supply chain, including component suppliers, machine suppliers and assembly/manufacturing service providers, as well as those involved in primary and secondary packaging to final device assembly and even collection after use.
“The formation of this alliance is the first step in a challenging but urgent journey that our member organisations have committed themselves to,” says Sebastian Gerner, president of the Alliance to Zero. “Enabling the launch of net-zero pharmaceutical products in regulated markets will require companies like ours to transform our operations, products, services, logistics, innovations and investments”, continued Sebastian. “Our combined effort and our shared responsibility to ensure a real and lasting change is at the heart of the Alliance’s mission.”
The alliance has begun development of a roadmap describing what a net zero emission concept for pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply chain would look like and the steps necessary to achieve it. This foundational work also includes agreement on harmonized language and principles for the assessment and control of the total emission footprint for the final pharmaceutical products, as well as the company-specific responsibilities.
The Alliance to Zero intends to involve, connect and coordinate suppliers, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers and service providers along the supply chain and engage with academia and non-profit organisations with similar aims.
Further information including their manifesto was published today on the Alliance to Zero website www.alliancetozero.com.
About the founding members of the Alliance to Zero
Sharp
Sharp, part of UDG healthcare, is a global leader in clinical supply chain services and contract pharmaceutical packaging. Offering solutions and support to pharma and biotech clients from phase I trials all the way through to commercialization and rapid launch. Sharp has particular experience expertise in the secondary packaging of injectables.
Harro Hofliger
Harro Höfliger has the experience and expertise to support you in realizing your entire product idea and will accompany you as a partner from the laboratory stage to production, for filling, assembly and packaging lines. As your supplier of technology and all-around problem solver, our work does not stop until your production is running perfectly. Simply put – ALL YOU NEED.
Schreiner MediPharm
Schreiner MediPharm, a business unit of Schreiner Group GmbH & Co. KG based in Oberschleissheim near Munich, is a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative, multifunctional specialty labels and marking solutions with value-added benefits for the healthcare industry. Thanks to its strong solutions expertise and specialized know-how Schreiner MediPharm is a highly capable development partner and reliable quality supplier to leading pharmaceutical and medical device technology companies worldwide.
Körber
Körber offers innovative, high-quality and sustainable pharma packaging solutions that deliver the difference. Körber’s customized Rondo and Dividella Solutions for monomaterial packaging from clinical test samples to high volume production and packaging lines setting standards world-wide for secondary packaging.
https://www.koerber.com/en/pharma/annual-report-2019-it-doesnt-need-plastic
SCHOTT
SCHOTT Pharmaceutical System, a business Unit of SCHOTT, is a global leading manufacturer in primary packaging for the pharmaceutical industry, producing annually more than 11 billion vials, ampoules, cartridges and syringes. Represented in 34 countries, SCHOTT is a manufacturer of high-tech materials for specialty glass and a highly skilled partner for high-tech industries: Healthcare, Home Appliances & Living, Consumer Electronics, Semiconductors & Datacom, Optics, Industry & Energy, Automotive, Astronomy, and Aerospace. In the fiscal year 2020, its 16,500 employees generated sales of 2.24 billion euros.
Health Beacon
HealthBeacon is a medication adherence technology company which develops smart tools for managing medication. HealthBeacon’s FDA-cleared Smart Sharps Bin has been adopted across 13 countries with >500,000 injections tracked since launch in 2014, and a patient acceptance rate of 80-90%.
HealthBeacon follows the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model as a part of its fundamental business model, embracing end to end product stewardship. In 2020, HealthBeacon launched its innovative Green Labs initiative for sustainable waste management. The HealthBeacon Green Labs will allow for the sterilisation and reuse of sharps bins and recovery of injection waste for more sustainable processing.
Datwyler
Datwyler focuses on high-quality, system-critical elastomer components and has leading positions in attractive global markets such as healthcare, mobility, and food & beverage. With more than 20 operating companies, sales in over 100 countries and more than 6,700 employees Datwyler, headquartered in Switzerland, generates annual sales of more than CHF 1’000 million
Ypsomed
The Ypsomed Group is a leading developer and manufacturer of injection and infusion systems for self-medication and a renowned diabetes specialist with over 35 years’ experience. As a leader in innovation and technology, Ypsomed is the preferred partner for pharmaceutical and biotech companies for the supply of pens, auto injectors and infusion systems to administer liquid drugs. Ypsomed has its headquarters in Burgdorf, Switzerland, and operates a global network of manufacturing sites, subsidiaries and distributors.
Media Contacts:
For further information about the Alliance to Zero, please contact:
Sebastian Gerner, President
info@alliancetozero.com